Hand-guard



C. HINZE.

HAND GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27. 1920.

1 ,369 ,8 1 O. Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HINZE, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS HAND-GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

Application filed February 27, 1920. Serial No. 361,618.

tectors, and relates particularly to guards to be worn on the hands,either over gloves or the like or not, as may be desired, by thoseengaged in manual work handling rough materials. The invention has amongits objects, the production of a'guard of the kind described that issimple, particularly durable, convenient, comfortable, economical,eflicient and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable. Moreespecially it has as an object the production of a guard of exceptionalwearing qualities for use by those handling rough materials, such asbrick, stone, 1IOI1, concrete blocks, rough timber and the like. andadvantages of the construction herein shown and described will beobvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosures herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand combination of parts herein shown andrdescribed,

' and more particularly pointed out in the ible and is not too elastic.

claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the face side of one of the guards, theright-hand guardbeing shown;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same buckled up; and

Fig. 3 is 'a similar view of the opposlte side.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a body part, preferably ofrubber that is flex- The inner side of the same or a portion thereof maybe lined with a fabric such as cheese-cloth, canvas or the like. Thelining, however, should be sufliciently flexible so that it does notdestroy the flexibility 'of the body.- The same may entirely cover theinner side or such a portion thereof asmay be desired. At the properplace in the body I preferably provide a thumb 3, which may be formedintegral with the body, or vulcan- Many other objects dust and dirt, andprotect the hands.

ized, cemented, sewed, riveted or otherwise secured thereto. I haveshown the same provided with a flange 4, or reinforcement, which whenthe thumb is made separate from the body and secured thereto, forms aconvenient means to secure the thumb and body together.

As most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3,

the body is formed with projecting lower corners 5 and 6, suitable meansbeing provided for connecting the two corners. I prefer to useconnecting means that may be easily fastened or unfastened, so that theguard may be easily put on or taken off. As shown, I have provided astrap 7 and a strap 8 having a buckle, it bein obvious that anyequivalents ma be emp oyed for the purpose. I also pre er to constructthe same with projecting parts 9 and 10, and secure a strap 11 and astrap. 12 thereat, one of-which has a buckle for engagement with theother. It will be particularly noted, by referring to Figs. 1 and 3,that'the projecting parts 9 and 10, and straps 11 and 12 are notarranged directly opposite each other, but are at an angle and soarranged that when the guard is buckled and in place the strap will passover the back of the hand back of the knuckles, and not over thefingersdl Who; the hand is flexed with the ar on t estraps 11 and 12,ben a 'n li e back bf the hand, securely mzint in thi guard in place andprevent its slipping from the hand. If desired, the portion at the backof the thumb, as at 13, may be cut.

- gloves or mittens, or coverings of equiva lent material, that willkeep out the cold, In warm weather, if desired, the gloves or mittensmay be omitted, without discomfort, particularly if the lining orbacking 2 is provided. As before mentioned, I prefer to make the guardof rubber of a quality that will be easily flexible, for example, rubberabout like that in inner tubes-for pneumatic tires. I have found thatwith a guard constructed as shown and described, used, for example, inhandling brick, that the life of the guard, on the average, is from twoor three or more weeks, depending upon the hours of daily use. On theother hand, a cloth or leather or like glove, in handlin brick, has alife of perhaps a few hours, an

tioned.

generally not to exceed a day. By protecting the cloth or leather glovefrom the abrasing action of the bricks, when my guard is employed, thelife of the glove is generally equal to, or even greater than the lifeof the guard. In addition, the hands are thoroughly protected and thework is not retarded as, owing to the flexibility, the hand may beflexed as easily as without the guard. The device is not only morecomfortable, but by virtue of the saving in the cost of the gloves, ismore economical. This is especially important, as the man Wearing theglove or guard, usually furnishes his own gloves or guards, and thesaving means a great deal to him. While I have particularly mentionedthe guards as suitable for the. handling of brick, they are almost, ifnot equally, as desirable for the handling of stone, concrete blocks,iron, rough timbers and rough materials generally. In the case ofleather or cloth mittens or gloves there is a tendency for the roughbrick or the like to slide or slip in the glove, upon taking hold orletting go of'the same, causing the early destruction of the handcovering, while with the rubber it would seem that the flexibility andslight elasticity of the rubber has a tendency to take hold and slightlyyield rather than scrape over the surface. The result is that theabrasion which takes place on the cloth or leather glove is eliminated.It should be noted that the fabric interlining referred to'isnotessential in any way, the same merely making the device more comfortablewhen the guard is worn 'Without loves or mittens. The same maybe of dierent sizes and obviously are made in rights and lefts so as to fit bothhands. I

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of my invention; 45.

hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exactform, construc tion, arrangement and combination of parts herein shownand described, or uses men- W hat I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A hand guard of the kind described comprising a body part having athumb portion at one side projecting from the body, said body extendedat the wrist end at each side and at each side between the ends, thelast mentioned extending portion on the thumb side being thegreaterdistance from the inner part than the extending portion at theother side, and securing means arranged at said extending portions.

2. A hand guardof the kind described comprising a rubber body partprovided with a fabric ,interlining and having a thumb portion at oneside projecting from the body, said body extended at the wrist end ateach side and at each side between the ends, the last mentionedextending portion on the thumb side being the reater distance from theinner part than t e extending portion at the other side, and securingmeans arranged at said extending portions.

3. A hand guard of the kind described comprising a rubber body partprovided With a fabric interlining and havin a thumb portion at one sideprojecting rom the body with an opening formed thereon on the side atthe back of the thumb, said body extended at the wrist end at each sideand at each side between the ends, the last mentioned extending portionon the thumb side being the greater distance from the innerpart than theextending portion lat the other side, and securing means arranged atsaid extending portions.

4:. A hand guard of the kind described, comprising a body part, and athumb portion united therewith, and extending from one side thereof,means secured to the body part for securing the other side thereof tothe hand, said means comprising cooperating fastening elements disposedat an acute angle to the body and adapted to pass over the hand of theuser between the knuckles and the wrist.

5. A hand guard comprising a body adapted to be placed upon the hand ofa. user, fastening devices extending from said body at the wrist endthereof,-other fastening devices extending from said body at each sidethereof intermediate its ends, the

said last mentioned fastening'device on one ate the ends, the lastmentioned extensions on one side of the body being a greater dis- Itance from the inner part of said body than its opposed extension, andsecuring means projecting from said extensions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES HINZE.

' Witnesses:

RoY W. HILL,

BERTHA HARTMANN.

